Hospital Stay

Former Member

Will be going into hospital sometime in the near future. Nothing serious, but will need a general and will probably be in for a night or two. I'm ok with having the op, but i haven't been out the house without anyone (except the odd trip over the corner shop) for several years now and i'm quite frankly dreading the thought of being on my own surrounded by a load of people i don't know.

Any ides on how to cope, things i could ask the nursing staff to do ?

Former Member

Do you listen to music much? Or the radio?

Assuming you do one or the other, get yourself lined up ready with a plentiful supply of music, headphones, power lead and check in advance that you'll be able to use it/charge it. I had a few stays in hospital several years back - and it was a transformation after someone leant me their iPod.

Then there's the usual creature comforts that make life a bit more normal, and take the edge off the weirdness of it all. Take your own suitable clothes in. You can find out in advance what they will/won't likely require you to wear/not wear. Obviously for the surgery bit then you'll have to wear one of those stupid gowns, but the rest of the time you can probably wear trackies/t shirt and the like. Again, something that you'd usually slob around the house in on a hungover morning - rather than strange pajamas that you've dug out specially for the occasion can make you feel a lot more normal. Take a wash bag - with your favourite stuff in. Aftershave/deoderant, soap, showergel etc. Either your normal stuff, or stuff you like that has got a pretty strong smell. If you use it, then it takes the edge off the strange hospital smell and makes things more normal.

What do you usually do when you're bored with time on your hands? Read magazines/puzzles/books/draw/paint/knit? Take along any of those. I never managed it - but I remember wishing I had an eye mask and ear plugs. It's pretty much impossible to sleep in hospital if you're sensitive to noise/light at night - so either of those can help normalise things too.

Former Member

I found hospital really rough for similar reasons, but I think it would have been easier if I'd been prepared to pay for internet and telly.

If I'd had a chance to plan it (I got taken in by ambulance, silly piccolo), I'd have taken a favourite book or a laptop and a stack of DVDs.

I also made sure the nursing staff / doctors knew about my mental health (it probably made no difference but I felt better) and I tried to get the chaplain to come up just so I could have a chat!

Former Member

That's a good point. Chaplains are good for chat, much better than nursing staff. Pretty much whatever your flavour of religion are or not.

Former Member

Is it possible to talk to the nursing team involved? Is it possible you could get put in a bay?

Former Member

Last time I was in general hospital I got moved to my own room because apparently I was "being inappropriate with the other patients", not that I'm suggesting you do that (tbh I was off my head).

DVDs on laptop helped especially episodes (desperate housewives yay) rather than long films. Things you've seen before incase you can't follow a new plot.

Books. Easy books. Books about cats for example.

I'd also recommend taking some snack food in as the meal times tend to be really early e.g. dinner at 5pm and then I got hungry later. You can't eat before the general of course but as soon as you can eat, if you've just missed a meal time you might not want to wait another 5 hours on an empty stomach.

Also, try to be clean when you go in else they make you wash with this gross pink stuff. Not suggesting you don't wash but sometimes when I've had surgery it's been a few weeks since I last washed if I'm unwell and washing at hospital seems worse than at home especially if they insist on watching you, depending on your risks.

Also don't forget your phone charger. If you are on a drip keep it high cos if you take it off the stand to sneak about then the blood squirts into it (obvious physics but I didn't work that one out), likewise with lines in arms, try to be careful as one of mine fell out when I was messing with my phone charger and it was really messy.

Former Member

good luck kevvy xxxx

Former Member

Randomgirl wrote: »

Also don't forget your phone charger. If you are on a drip keep it high cos if you take it off the stand to sneak about then the blood squirts into it (obvious physics but I didn't work that one out), likewise with lines in arms, try to be careful as one of mine fell out when I was messing with my phone charger and it was really messy.

It really shouldn't do that! That sounds like someone was crap at putting lines in!

Former Member

Thanks Not much one for smellies. As long as it doesn't smell of the 3 Ps piss, poo and perspiration i'm ok with I have got my prostitutes dressing gown (big fluffy thing that you'd expect a middle aged woman to answer to door in to her 'gentleman callers' 10am - 4pm, knock twice and ask for Brenda) . Leigh got a laptop a few weeks ago so i could borrow that and got a load of Carry Ons, Victoria Wood DVDs. Of course i've got Ruudy and Munkey, useful to throw a spanner in the works when we have a conversation.

Good idea about snacks, i'll probably get Leigh to bring me in sarnies, i really don't want to eat food that other people have prepared and has been sitting around for hours and i definitely wouldn't trust their vegitarian standards.

Former Member

Even if you're not one for smellies - if you can go along with something like Lynx then you can guarentee that you won't be exposed to any of the yukky hospital smells.

Former Member

I forgot - eye mask and earplugs! They turn the lights off really late on some wards and because breakfast is so early and it's hard to sleep with other people's noise going on it is really hard to sleep.

Hope it goes well.